Date: 15 June 2023

Global Healthcare specialist VIKAND co-sponsored the annual Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) awards during last week’s Nor-Shipping event.  

Developed by the US Coast Guard with support from commercial shipping representatives, AMVER awards are given when ships have made themselves available for search and rescue operations for at least 128 days in the previous calendar year. In 2022, 242 Norwegian ships representing 31 Norwegian management companies earned AMVER awards.  

This year the awards ceremony was hosted by the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States of America, MS Sharon Hudson-Dean, and the event was sponsored by VIKAND and ABS together with U.S. Commercial Services.  

US special climate envoy John Kerry spoke about the need of business leaders to work together to create a more sustainable future by collaborating on decarbonisation projects to reduce the adverse effects of climate change.  

During his speech Managing Director of OneHealth by VIKAND, Ronald Spithout,  cited John Kerry’s keynote speech at Nor-Shipping where the US envoy compared the fight against climate change to D-Day.  

Ronald told the audience that crew welfare is facing its own D-Day and ship operators must act now to ensure their seafarers are as healthy as possible to future proof shipping. He said that if the audience only remembered three words from his speech then these should be ‘crew asset management’.   

In other words we should be treating crew like precious assets by looking after them in a proactive way to lessen expensive medical emergencies.   

OneHealth by VIKAND does just that as it is an all-inclusive approach to onboard health and wellness through policies, services and solutions that promote better onboard physical and mental health. 

The aim of OneHealth is to change the perception of healthcare in the maritime industry from viewing it as a cost to viewing healthcare as a value driver and an integral part of ‘Social Investment in Shipping’, addressing not only the obvious physical and mental aspects of wellbeing on board, but also the direct positive impact on important KPI’s as Safety, Preservation of Experience and Risk management. 

Following his speech Mr Spithout received very positive reactions from captains in the audience who agreed with this approach as many feel that having the support of medical professionals to help them manage day to day crew health and wellness is a much better option than waiting until a situation turns into a medical emergency before reaching out for help as many of these situations do not need to get that point if managed properly from day one.